ACT » Mission Committee

The Mission committee works on local, national, and global levels to support non-profit agencies with funds, supplies, and volunteers to improve the health and welfare of the people. It encourages participation in support of various ELCA social response organizations such as Lutheran World Relief and the ELCA World Hunger Appeal. It provides information about the local, national and global ministries of the Congregation and the ELCA to members of the Congregation.

St. Thomas collects goods needed by many of the local organizations. Members of our community are encouraged to pick up a few items when shopping locally to support these partners (click here for printable wish lists). You can also shop the Amazon wish list for items that will be shipped to St. Thomas and distributed to these organizations.

“Beacon is a vital, leading, compassionate organization which aids and empowers those experiencing need with a full range of support services to reduce hunger, poverty, and homelessness in communities we serve.”

Beacon, Inc. began as the Shalom Center, a day shelter for the homeless. Beacon is a new name and organizational structure for the many ministries have grown out of the Shalom Center: street outreach, a breakfast program, a rapid re-housing program, low-income housing, and much more. Beacon provides St. Thomas with an immediate way to be neighbors to the neediest in our community. St. Thomas supports Beacon, Inc. through funds from our annual budget, volunteers, volunteer leadership, and support from the Pastor’s Discretionary Fund for specific needs. The latest information from Beacon can be found here.

“New Hope for Families is a place for a family to call home while transitioning from homelessness to self sufficiency. New Hope is the only shelter in Monroe County where families with children can find shelter together.  We serve families with respect and compassion, providing them with life-changing social services and a safe place to stay together when they need each other most. New Hope provides accredited early childhood care and education programs that help parents get back to work, and prepare children to succeed in school and in life.”

St. Thomas supports New Hope with donations of household goods, participation in fundraisers, and funds from our annual budget. The latest news from New Hope is here.

Pantry 279 is the food bank currently serving the largest number of families locally.  They are a “zero barrier” food bank offering weekly groceries to any household living in Monroe and surrounding counties.

We support them from our annual budget, with volunteers, and by collecting shelf stable food items, especially: 

• Canned vegetables
• Canned meats
• Canned tomato products
• Canned fruit
• Canned soup, stew, chili, or pasta
• Boxed pasta
• Pasta sauce in jars or cans
• Cereal or oatmeal of any kind
• Macaroni & Cheese or other Boxed Meal Mixes
• Baking Staples (Flour, Sugar, Spices, Shortening, or Oils)

Community Kitchen provides backpacks of weekend food to selected low-income children at twenty-one local schools to help them and their families with their weekend food needs. 

To support this program, they need LIGHTWEIGHT, shelf-stable items especially:

• Foil Pouch Tuna or Chicken
• Small Jars Peanut Butter
• Fruit Cups
• Instant Oatmeal Packets
• Small boxes or cups of Cereal
• Boxed Macaroni & Cheese
• Boxed Meal “Helper” kits 
• Easy to Prepare Food Items (microwaveable cups, etc)
• Granola / Fruit / Cereal Bars
• Dried Fruit
• Boxed Muffin or Bread Mixes
• Healthy Snack Crackers
• 7oz pop-top canned Vegetables

Rose House LuMin is the Lutheran Campus Ministry program at Indiana University. They provide a welcome safe space to any IU student regardless of faith background. Once a month, we provide lunch for students after worship. We also provide individually wrapped snacks and beverages to enable them in their ministry of hospitality to students.  

Suggested donations include: 

• Popcorn, Pretzels, or Chips in individual bags
• Fruit, Nut, or Breakfast Bars
• Trail Mix or Nut packs
• Cracker Snacks
• Capri Sun
• Iced Tea Bottles or Cans
• Bottled Water

“In the spirit of love and justice, the Bloomington Society of St. Vincent de Paul serving Monroe County (SVdP) provides person-to-person services of time, talent and resources to help our neighbors in need. SVdP respects the dignity of every person, regardless of socioeconomic status. We provide Safety-Net services for families and individuals in our community who are often suffering, forgotten or deprived — the working poor, the homeless, those who have been incarcerated, and all people living on the margins of society. We also seek systemic change solutions to move people out of poverty.”

We have a years-long friendship with this agency and support St. Vincent de Paul through funds from our budget, the Pastor’s Discretionary Fund, through individual contributions, and through donations of household goods.  We’ve invited them to meet at our building when they needed a temporary meeting place and St. Vincent’s has offered get-to-know-you coffee hour receptions for the whole congregation.  Members of our congregation are dedicated, long-time volunteers. 

“Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard works to increase access to healthy food in ways that cultivate dignity, self-sufficiency, and community. We envision a community where everyone has equal access to nutritious food, waste is minimized, and all members are healthy, self-sufficient, and empowered to reach their full potential. Knowing that healthcare, housing, wages, and more affect community members’ ability to access food, MHC works with organizations from different sectors to affect change. We actively pursue partnerships to address root cause work at a local, state, and national level.” 

Gardeners of St Thomas Community Garden give at least 25% of the produce from each bed to Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard (or MCUM). We also give financial support from our annual budget.

Pathways provides high-quality, affordable early learning, and promote economic mobility for families.

This organization offers daycare, food, clothing, financial aid, childcare, and more to those enrolled in the Compass Learning Center. St. Thomas supports Pathways through the annual budget.